


Ten Percent

by TaergaLive



Category: Batman - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-20 03:46:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10654245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaergaLive/pseuds/TaergaLive
Summary: A session with Jonathan and Dr. Kellerman





	Ten Percent

Dr. Kellerman’s room was one of the few places on Arkham Island where Jonathan could smoke in peace. Of course, he wasn’t supposed to.  After all, even the tiniest puffs of smoke could trigger the fire alarm. However, Jonathan was prepared. He knew a few tricks from his college days to hide smoke from a smoke detector without destroying the machine. Dr. Kellerman wasn’t too fond of letting him modify the machine, but allowing Jonathan to smoke was a good idea in his mind.

Most of the doctors tried to treat the super villains like regular patients as much as possible. Make them feel comfortable. Nice, soft, cushy chairs. Something to hold or fiddle with while they spoke. But they could only go so far. After all, they had to watch out for their own safety. There was a chain attached to the floor near the patient’s chair, and the patient had to be chained at all times, making it impossible for them to move any further than a foot from the chair. Usually, the patient’s arms would be shackled together by the wrists, but this was up to the doctor’s discretion. Dr. Kellerman liked to let Jonathan have control of his arms. After all, Jonathan was never known to be a physically violent type.

When Jonathan had some nicotine in him, he was usually in a better, more talkative mood, which was what Kellerman wanted. He still wouldn’t cooperate very well, but it was better than his usual sulky silence or empty threats against Kellerman and his family.

Jonathan was in one of his better moods, actually attempting to answer questions. Granted, his answers were rather vague, but it was progress. He put out his cigarette in the ash tray even though he had only lit it a few minutes ago. Lately, he had never finished a cigarette. Usually, he lit on up, took a few drags every so often, and then put it out. One cigarette usually took him three minutes to “get through.” It was something Dr. Kellerman had noticed and wrote down in his notes. Kellerman began to silently count the seconds until Jonathan would pull out another one and light it up.

“Honestly, I don’t know why you’re wasting your time. You’ve asked me these same questions last week,” Jonathan folded his hands in front of his mouth, concealing a small smirk. “Of course, they sounded different. You’re smarter than to ask me the exact same question, aren’t you, Stephen?”

Kellerman chuckled, leaning against the windowsill, looking out throw the bars. He hated how even his office had to look like a prison. Couldn’t risk an inmate trying to jump out the window. “Can you blame me for being curious? I just want to know what sort of man you were in college,” A sly smile painted on his face. “I can see you as a real party animal.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes and shook his head, tongue in his cheek as he took another cigarette from out of the box. 40 seconds since he had disposed of the other one. He just held it in his hand. “Sorry to disappoint you, but no. Not really. Parties of one for me. Though I can’t really give you any details.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Jonathan chuckled as he lit the cigarette. 67 seconds after getting rid of the other one. “Don’t take it personally. I honestly can’t remember much of it. It’s very…hazy,” He paused to take a drag of the cigarette. “Let’s just say I used to self-medicate.”

Kellerman knew better than to ask with what. In all honesty, it wouldn’t surprise him if Jonathan used to be a drug user. It wouldn’t surprise him if he still was. “For what?”

Clicking his tongue, Jonathan shook his head. “You’re not getting it that easily.”

They fell into silence after that. Kellerman trying to figure out his next move; Jonathan trying to figure out Kellerman’s next move. Jonathan wanted to stay a few steps ahead of his therapist, but he was tired and didn’t feel like thinking. He hadn’t slept for over 72 hours, or if he did, it was very little and interrupted.

“Jonathan,” Kellerman’s voice was very low. “Why do you do this? Why won’t you let anyone help you?” Jonathan scowled slightly and looked at the opposite side of the room. “I mean, don’t you want to get out of here one day? Legally?”

His laugh had no emotion behind it. “Out of here? Why would I ever want to leave, Stephen? This world is a rotting, decaying corpse, and the people out there…why, they’re nothing more than maggots feeding on the flesh. And they don’t realize it, but one day, all that eating will lead to their downfall. Yes, one day, they’ll paint themselves into a corner, and they won’t have anywhere to go. And they’ll have no one to blame but themselves.”

Kellerman pushed himself away from the windowsill, sitting down in the chair opposite of Jonathan. “You paint the world a dark color.”

Jonathan looked him in the eye. “I only speak the truth, and you know it, don’t you, Stephen? It’s why you try to ‘help’ people like me. You feel you might redeem yourself. You fear you’re driving yourself straight into oblivion, but maybe, just maybe, if you are a ‘good boy,’ you’ll be saved. By what? God? Yourself?”

“Do you really think the only reason people help others is because they’re afraid of what would happen if they didn't”

“Of course,” Jonathan took another drag from the cigarette only to realize it had gone out from under-use. He lit it again before continuing. “Why else would they? They wouldn’t benefit from it anyway else.”

Kellerman shook his head. He knew it would be futile to argue with Jonathan, at least at this moment in time. “You have a very morbid view of humanity, and I pity you because of it.”

Studying the burning tip of the cigarette, Jonathan’s face gave away nothing. “Of course. Humanity is a very morbid topic, so it only makes sense that I have a morbid view of it. Ninety percent of the population could writhe in agonizing pain, and I wouldn’t lift a finger to ease their suffering.”

Silence passed them again. Ninety percent. How a person could disregard so much life was beyond him. Still…ninety percent. Kellerman leaned back in his chair, eyebrow arched. “So, you’re saying there __are__ people out there you help.”

Jonathan froze, the only movement in the room the smoke dancing upward. His eyes slowly crawled to Kellerman’s face, a strange look to them. An unearthed, unshielded look trying to hide behind a glare. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing would come out. Closing his mouth, he fixed his lips into a tight scowl. Kellerman returned the look with a sweet but proud smile.

In a swift movement, Jonathan thrust the cigarette into his own arm, rubbing it into his skin before tossing it to the floor, all without changing his expression. “I believe I have to go to the infirmary now. It appears I have burned myself,” he said, a bit of a challenge in his voice.

“Of course,” Kellerman agreed as he stood up and walked over to the door. Moments after pressing a button near the door, a guard calmly came in. If he had pressed the emergency one he carried on his person at all times, the guard would have stormed in, ready for a war. “Please take Dr. Crane to the infirmary. He’s not feeling very well.”

As Jonathan was unchained from the floor and had his hands bound, he sneered. “Very bold, Stephen. Perhaps you’re more competent at your job that I give you credit for.” The guard tugged him out the door, leaving Kellerman shaking his head.

Picking up the cigarette, Kellerman sighed. Jonathan hid behind many layers of armor. It was hard work, chiseling at it, but little victories were better than none. 

**Author's Note:**

> According to tumblr, I wrote this 4 years ago. Finally have a place to post it so I did.


End file.
